DPS to Help Patrol Texas School for the Deaf’s Campus

DPS to Help Patrol Texas School for the Deaf’s Campus

Armed DPS troopers are now on-site at the campus multiple times a day, getting to know the school’s layout, students and staff, according to TSD Superintendent Claire Bugen.

  • September 20, 2018

Troopers from the Texas Department of Public Safety are working with the Texas School for the Deaf to secure its 67-acre campus, which has 50 buildings and serves 600 students from Pre-K to age 22.

Armed DPS troopers are now on-site at the campus multiple times a day, getting to know the school’s layout, students and staff, according to TSD Superintendent Claire Bugen. DPS’s Capital Region is also holding some routine staff meetings on TSD’s campus to increase trooper visibility and help them familiarize themselves with the school, she said.

"They're already patrolling the campus a couple of times a day, which is just really nice, just the presence goes a long way to prevention," Bugen said. "You know, it is clearly not the solution to all of the issues related to school safety, but we're very excited."

Bugen added that she and other TSD staff are interested in finding a place on campus where troopers can set up an office space.

"We just want to find them a home on the campus where they can get to know the students a little better, have a little more visibility at school events," Bugen said.

As a state school, TSD didn’t have access to school resource officers, Bugen said, but after the School Safety Initiative was introduced by Gov. Greg Abbott, a staff member suggested asking for help from DPS. Previously, TSD only had staff members trained as security employees, but the employees were neither peace officers nor armed.

“In accordance with Governor Abbott’s School Safety Initiative, DPS Troopers are working with local law enforcement and school officials to increase the visibility of law enforcement on campuses and at school events," said Dwight Mathis, Spokesperson for DPS, Regional Director. “We are proud to partner with TSD to bolster security on the campus and to enhance safety for all students and school staff.”

Featured

  • Securing Higher Education: Combating Enrollment Fraud and Empowering Student Financial Success

    Higher education institutions are facing a costly and growing crisis: enrollment fraud. Between 2020 and 2022, the cost[1] of acquiring a new student surged by up to 32%, straining already tight budgets. At the same time, “ghost students” using stolen identities to enroll fraudulently put institutions at even greater financial risk. Read Now

  • How Composable Security Technologies Fortify Campus Safety

    Campus security teams have faced myriad risks threatening the safety and well-being of students and faculty this semester. Leaders have made tough tradeoffs about where to focus and how to channel limited resources to best protect their communities — but they now have a much-needed lift to their toolkit. Read Now

  • How Emerging Technologies are Transforming the School Security Landscape

    Students can't focus on learning when they're worried about their safety. As education systems nationwide face evolving security challenges with limited resources, a new generation of integrated technology solutions is helping schools create safer environments while maximizing staff efficiency. Read Now

  • How to Harness ALPR for Greater Security Efficiency and Collaboration

    Within higher education campus environments, the demand for greater security, efficiency, and resources is ever-present. Many higher education teams are adopting advanced technologies to secure their campus, streamline operations, and continue to best serve their students and faculty. Automatic license plate recognition (ALPR) technology stands out for its ability to meet a wide range of campus objectives. Read Now

Most   Popular